The UTEP women's track team bid for their first-ever Conference USA triple crown got off to the start they needed as Winny Koech easily defended her crown in the 10,000 meters Friday evening at the C-USA outdoor track and field championships in Charlotte.

The men also got a silver medal from hammer thrower Karol Koncos, who had a toss of 202-feet, 2-inches, and a 2-3-7 finish in the men's 10,000 from Rodgers Korir, Boaz Ronoh and Anthony Kosgei. Korir was edged by 0.13 seconds in a sprint finish by Middle Tennessee's Lebo Mosito

The Miners women needed Koech, a heavy favorite, to take care of business in the first running final to keep them on pace for the cross country/indoor track/outdoor track sweep,and she did everything she needed to do, as the junior ran a time of 34 minutes, 49.